We have a set of leverage tools that look roughly like the diagram below. They live in the E-101A storage room (NOTE: they work best with the heavier washers--the lighter washers can give bad data). I ask students to try these tasks, one at a time, to develop the general idea of a lever arm, and how equal lever arms will balance. After figuring out this general rule, they try the assignment below, asking whether certain configurations will balance.
I followed this investigation with a powerpoint slide of these notes:
I followed this investigation with a powerpoint slide of these notes: